Beverages may naturally contain dissolved compounds that are higher or lower in concentration than is desirable for a beverage product. The methods available for reducing the level of dissolved compounds typically remove the excess dissolved compounds in a form that is easily disposed. Thus these methods result in a reduction of the level of dissolved compounds in the production of a single beverage product, and the disposal of any excess dissolved compounds. Such methods include ion exchange, electrodialysis, evaporation, distillations, fining agents, such as bentonite and gelatin, chilling or freezing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,480,665 issued to Smith (incorporated herein by reference) is directed to a method of removing compounds from a solution by using reverse osmosis techniques that employ a membrane specific to particular substances such as ethyl acetate and acetic acid. The substances are classed together as volatile acidity compounds. The membrane retains the specific substances, providing a permeate with a reduced concentration of the specific substances.
The preparation of wines and other beverage products can include filtration to remove or reduce undesired components. Typically, the portion of the beverage that is retained from passing through the filter is discarded, and the filtered portion, or permeate is used in forming the final beverage product. It is desirable in some cases to produce beverages that have lower concentrations of a dissolved compound while retaining the excess dissolved compounds in a beverage form for use in different beverage products.
While filtration is commonly used to reduce some undesired components, enzyme digestion is used to reduce carbohydrate content in alcoholic beverages, such as beer. Enzyme digestion has been unsuccessful, however, as a method for reducing carbohydrates in wine.